Assessment of the state of ecosystem components

Integrated assessment of the ecological state of biotopes and
communities of the Ladoga region is based on the approaches developed under
HELCOM aegis (Red List..., 1998). Explanations of abbreviations standing for
different human impacts, and the estimation scale for the state of biotopes and
communities are given in the Tables 8.2.1 and 8.2.2. (the state of ecosystem components was ranked according to the extent of spatial shrinking they have undergone, or to the loss of initial ecological properties). The evaluation of the modern ecological state of individual elements of the ecosystem in various zones of Lake Ladoga is shown in Table 8.2.3.

Table 8.2.1. Human impacts on the ecosystems and their designations
(Red List..., 1998; with abbreviations)

Human impact

Designation

Agriculture

A

Dredging, dumping

B

Coastal defense

D

Eutrophication

E

Fishing and hunting

F

Building activities for recreation purposes

H

Traffic and tourism

G

Mineral extraction

M

Pollution (non-eutrophication)

P

Forestry

T

Reclamation

W

Military activities

Y

Table 8.2.2. Scale for assessment of the ecological state of the nature complex components (Red List..., 1998; with amendments)

Ecological state of the system

Rating

Completely destroyed

1

Heavily threatened

2

Heavily endangered

3

Potentially endangered

4

Not endangered at present

5

Table 8.2.3 Major human impacts and ecological status of habitats and biological communities in the Lake Ladoga region